Ed Ball - Where Modular Synthesis and Fine Art Fuse

"I'm a multifaceted contemporary abstract artist that uses a combination of sonic experiments, music and paint to produce artworks on canvas.

I directly paint music and sound compositions creating works of art that represent the sound on canvas. This has progressed with me starting to experiment with electronic sound creation myself using unusual electronic equipment with the future vision of painting these sound experiments.

Collections

2016 Cinematic Collection

2017 Collection

The Art of Modular Synthesis

'The Art of Modular Synthesis' is a project that will take me into 2019. I'm starting a collaboration with well known musical artists within the Modular Synth scene. As part of the project, the artist will be composing a sonic journey that I will then abstract from and paint too.

This project is all about recording, and documenting the Modular Synthesis movement through the format of fine art. The underground counter-culture movement of Modular Synthesis was born in the 60's, and then seemed to be lost in the ether of time until it's recent reignition! This rapidly growing culture of diverse sound artists harness electric control voltage, sculpt sonic waves and craft mesmerising sound journeys. Using sound modules, patch chords and a mixture of synthesis architectures, they produce incredible sonic identities mixed with an abundance of emotional electronic expression. My mission is to capture all of this on canvas! Creating large-scale canvas paintings to compositions by these amazing sound artists and musicians"

As well as a 2019 exhibition of the artwork and music, I'm also producing a coffee-table book documenting the whole of the project. The book will contain information and interviews with the musicians. Together with photography of their equipment and patch being used, and a full page art print of the artwork produced by myself for the project.

Be part of the project

'The Art of Modular Synthesis' will be a very multimedia project. I will be creating live video streams of myself painting the collection together with plenty of behind the scenes videos about the collaborations. There will also be lots of opportunities for Q&A's over the span of the project. If you would like to be kept updated with the project please sign up for regular updates here.

Podcast Intervew

I had the good fortune of being interviewed by Darwin Grosse of the Art+Music+Technology podcast. This is one of my all-time favourite podcasts so I felt very honoured to be asked on to the show by Darwin. The podcast goes over my history, my art practice and about the Art of Modular Synthesis project. You can listen to the interview below.

Rhythm (Incredible sound)

It all started in 2004, my first large scale painting to music, this is when I fell in love with the all-consuming process of painting the rhythm, beat an feel of music! More information on how rhythm came to be here

Old camcorder footage of me painting Rhythm back in April 2004

The limited edition of Rhythm (Incredible Sound) has now been released for sale - more details here.. (As seen in GQ magazine.)

A bit of vlogging

What artists do all day Ep1 (2 March 2017)

What artists do all day Ep2 (11 March 2017)

What artists do all day Ep3 (19 March 2017)

"All I want to do is connect with people on a primitive level bringing an emotional response to powerful work, It's as simple as that."

It is hard to say what sort of an artist you are, really it is! Am I an abstract, contemporary, conceptual or multimedia artist? Well, the answer is yes to them all. I love painting, designing, sculpture, video, music and more, the reality of it all is I just love being creative, I always have. If I had to give myself a tag, it would be a creative, I think that is what best describes how I live my life. It also describes the wide variety of creative work that I want to produce on my journey through life.

Over the last decade, I have chosen music and sound as a powerful driver to express myself in the form of paint. My concept is a very uncomplicated one, I paint sound and music! Behind this seemingly simple action, there is a wealth of opportunities, theories and emotions to explore...........Read move about me and my artwork here.

Ed Ball

This is where you are now, my website! This holds all the relevant information about my artwork, projects and exhibitions which relate to creating artwork with Modular Synthesis and music. Have a good look around!

AMS The Book

The 'Art of Modular Syntheses' is a coffee table book that will be available at the end of a project that will find myself collaborating with exciting Modular Synthesists, this will lead to me painting artwork to their inspirational sound compositions! More information here

Suitcase Bass

This page contains all my experimental sound work on modular and unusual sound equipment. My sonic output, experiments and performances are all under my alternative musical moniker of “Suitcase Bass’ Go to Suitcase Base here